Pupils at Belmont Grosvenor School turn ‘yellow’ to raise money for charity

THREE sisters at a leading independent prep school in Harrogate have persuaded their classmates to turn yellow for the day – to help raise money for a charity close to their hearts.
Sophie, Jessica, 7, and Isabelle, 4, Jones, all pupils at Belmont Grosvenor School at Birstwith, Harrogate, have a young cousin who suffers from liver disease.
The three have watched 18-month-old Joshua, who lives near Northallerton, undergo treatment at Leeds General Infirmary for the potentially progressive liver condition, neo-natal schlerosing cholangitis, and decided they wanted to help.
Sophie, 9, spoke to Belmont Grosvenor School headteacher Jane Merriman and asked to hold a fund-raising day for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.
She readily agreed so last week, pupils at the co-educational school, based at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, paid £1 to join in Big Yellow Friday by wearing yellow clothes for the day – and they helped raise £150 for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.
“Joshua has had liver disease ever since he was born and it makes us feel very sad.
“We wanted to do something to raise money for the charity – there are a lot of people with liver disease and we wanted to help,” said Sophie, who lives with her family in Brearton, near Knaresborough.
Said the girls’ mother, Carole-Ann Jones: “ Joshua is a lovely, lively little boy but he was diagnosed with a liver condition before he was born. He has a potentially progressive disease which, in the best case scenario, he will grow out of, but, could result in a liver transplant.”
“Joshua’s parents and our family have raised about £2000 for the charity so far – Sophie and her sisters decided they wanted to do something themselves to help and came up with this idea,” she said.
Jane Merriman, headteacher at independent co-educational prep school Belmont Grosvenor School, said: “At BGS we encourage our children to take ownership and to give them the opportunity to have a voice within school.
“We were delighted to support Sophie’s initiative and hold a non-uniform day to raise funds for a charity that is so close to her, and her younger sisters’ hearts.”
Belmont Grosvenor School’s next open day is on Friday May 6 between 9.30 and 11.45am. For more information contact the school on 01423 771029 or visit the website at www.belmontgrosvenor.co.uk